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“Committed to Mediocrity Would Have Been So Much Easier”

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Publication date: Nov 13, 2013

Every year at its national conference, The Education Trust recognizes a few schools that demonstrate the power schools have to help students overcome the barriers of poverty and discrimination. Last month, four schools were presented with the Ed Trust Dispelling the Myth Award. This column is about one of them: Pass Christian High School in Mississippi. I’ll be writing about the others in future columns.

More than a decade ago the residents of Pass Christian, along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, decided that the town’s schools needed to improve.

Strong school accountability systems can send a clear message that the achievement of all groups of students matters and that to be considered good, a school must serve all groups of students well. But in recent years, many states put in place accountability systems that did just the opposite…

Together, we can ensure that every student: Attends a safe school Receives a world-class education Is taught by diverse, excellent educators, and Has the chance to succeed in college All gifts are tax-deductible and support The Education Trust's advocacy, policy, research, and practice work to advance…

For the second week in a row, Coco, a Disney Pixar film that follows the journey of a young Mexican boy to a magical Land of the Dead, was number one at the box office, grossing over $100 million in the U.S. so far. This enchanting film gives millions…

An estimated 20,000 teachers — many of them Latino — will be forced to leave the workforce as a result of the Trump administration’s decision to rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. This dreadful decision will impact schools and districts across the country that consistently find themselves with…

At The Education Trust, we believe in the potential of all young people and in the power of education —so we work to advance policies and practices that provide everyone equitable access to high-quality instruction. Join our mission. Donate today. …

Chicago Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson states that Chicago’s principal-development strategy is directly correlated to its improving graduation rates and test scores. Here, we visit the high school that she opened as principal, George Westinghouse Academy on the west side of Chicago, and meet principal Patrick McGill, who…

How would Chicago school district know what worked and what didn’t? With foundation help, the University of Chicago launched the Consortium on School Research, where research superstars spent years studying what was going on in Chicago schools. At the same time, Chicago foundations, nonprofits organizations, and educators focused enormous…